Life — October 25, 1917 — page 29: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a figure climbing a tall stone wall labeled "EDUCATION" and "FORTUNE." The climber appears to be straining upward, reaching toward the top where a figure looks down from above. Below, dark shadowy masses gather at the wall's base. The cartoon satirizes the difficulty of social and economic advancement through education. The wall represents barriers to achieving fortune/success through education—suggesting these barriers are steep and require tremendous personal effort ("sacrifice"). The masses below may represent those unable to breach these obstacles. The cartoon critiques either the inaccessibility of quality education to common people, or the false promise that education alone guarantees prosperity. The visual metaphor of the grueling climb emphasizes the enormous personal sacrifice required even to attempt advancement.